hand quilting vs machine quilting
02-01-2012, 07:36 AM
#51
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Dalles, Oregon
Posts: 181
When the quilt is a special one, like a family wedding quilt, I do hand quilt. 5 years ago my DH gave me a quilt frame "kit", saying he would build it for me. It's still not done. I have started machine quilting smaller wall and lap quilts simply to get them finished!!!
02-01-2012, 08:44 AM
#52
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 3,992
I have a king size double wedding quilt that I have been hand quilting for almost a year. AAARGG. It is a chore and I have to force myself to work on it. I can do only a little bit at a time due to some arthritis in my hands. Sure wish I had thought about machine quilting it in the beginning. The quilt might be done now and given to it's intended recipients.
02-01-2012, 08:49 AM
#53
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: El Paso Texas
Posts: 987
Hmmm, I would have to ask WHY he wants it hand quilted? Could it be: 1) He wants something you did with a real personal touch? or 2) Because he made you that beautiful frame, he wants you to use it to make something for him on? I am a longarm quilter and while machine quilting is fast and beautiful, hand quilting is much more personal...but comparing machine quilting and hand quilting is truly like comparing apples and oranges. Each has its own beauty in its own way. Why don't you make it a family project, you quilt some, and he quilts some, it could be a real learning experience for him, and I'll bet he never asks you to hand quilt another! Let us know what happens.
02-01-2012, 08:56 AM
#54
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NW Pennsylvania
Posts: 327
Originally Posted by sandrakayw
My husband and I have been having an extended discussion! I'm making a very, very large mariners compass...at his request. He wants me to add borders, more details, etc. to make this into a queen sized quilt. Then he wants me to hand quilt the whole thing and I'm just having a hissy fit about it. I am trying to convince him that most people machine quilt or hire a LAQ to do the huge quilts. He has made me a gorgeous cherry quilting frame...and I do appreciate it, but I don't feel like spending months hand quilting a quilt while leaning over this frame. His mother was an excellent quilter and did everything by hand.....many, many years ago. He thinks this is the way it still should be done. I feel I should say...pick up a needle and you do the quilting then! Can you tell I'm upset? I've done a lot of handquilting on lap and baby quilts, but the thought of doing a queen sized quilt just overwhelms me. I really believe hand quilting is a lovely art, but I don't feel like it's the only way to end up with a beautiful quilt. SO....I told him I would take a survey and see what the rest of you think.
How many of you still hand quilt, or do you do some by hand, some by machine, and some by LAQ? I think he needs to see some answers in print to realize I"m not the only woman that feels this way. He's such a wonderful husband, but on this subject....we totally see things differently. HELP! What is your opinion?
How many of you still hand quilt, or do you do some by hand, some by machine, and some by LAQ? I think he needs to see some answers in print to realize I"m not the only woman that feels this way. He's such a wonderful husband, but on this subject....we totally see things differently. HELP! What is your opinion?
02-01-2012, 09:49 AM
#55
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 6,395
I have just begun machine quilting and have hand quilted things up to this point. I have a hand pieced queen sized quilt that I am definitely going to hand quilt because that's what I've planned for it from the beginning. At this point I would not attempt quilting anything larger than a twin size on my featherweight, but that has more to do with my confidence level than anything else.
My personal opinion on hand quilting vs machine quilting is that if it is hand pieced then it needs to be hand quilted. If it is machine pieced then it can be quilted either way, but I would be more likely to machine quilt it simply because that seems to be quicker. If finances were not an issue, then I would be prone to look for someone to do the machine quilting on a queen or king size.
My personal opinion on hand quilting vs machine quilting is that if it is hand pieced then it needs to be hand quilted. If it is machine pieced then it can be quilted either way, but I would be more likely to machine quilt it simply because that seems to be quicker. If finances were not an issue, then I would be prone to look for someone to do the machine quilting on a queen or king size.
02-01-2012, 09:49 AM
#56
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Salem Oregon
Posts: 163
This is what I heard... Quote: "mariners compass...at his request" and "He's such a wonderful husband" I understand overwhelmed, however, I also know there are many people on this board and elsewhere who...if given the chance to honor their significant others, would do so in a heartbeat.... I for one would never want to sit and say "I wish I had".... lovingly, just food for thought.
02-01-2012, 11:28 AM
#57
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Lakeport Ca
Posts: 95
I have hand quilted wall hangings and other small items but have yet to tackle a whole quilt. My daughter is a purest and feels that quilts should be hand done. Recently I was lucky enough to take a class with Jill Schumacher and my life took a change!!! I learned how to machine quilt! I need lots of practice but thanks to this wonderful teacher, I plan on doing it!!! As for a queen size quilt, I'm all for sending it out for long arm quilting! I really enjoyed that class so much! I may even have my daughter convinced!
02-01-2012, 12:06 PM
#58
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 514
There is no right or wrong answer to this questions. I'll be honest I love to hand quilt, I find it so relaxing to curl up on the couch and work on a quilt. Machine quilting is in my opinion "WORK". I only machine quilts that I want to finish quickly. I make mostly queen size quilts and because I work full time and go to school it can take me up to 9 months to finish a quilt. I will likely always prefer to hand quilt because I like what I can do hand quilting. I actually have the opposite in my house, my husband keeps asking why I hand quilt when I could do it so much faster on the machine.
02-01-2012, 12:45 PM
#59
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,688
There is a lot more going on here than can ever be resolved by a survey. Sounds very much like a control issue on his part. You have to want to do it, not just be willing to do it and certainly not be intimidated into doing it. The choice is entirely up to you. Not a bunch of cyber quilters, not your DH, not your MIL...just you and you alone. You will gain absolutely nothing if you quilt it out of guilt. Wishing you all the best.
02-02-2012, 04:32 AM
#60
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Owensboro, KY
Posts: 1,420
I never hand quilt anything. I don't have the patience, plus once I get it pieced, I'm so anxious to see it quilted and done. I have had Amish ladies hand quilt things for me in the past. They do a wonderful job and are fairly reasonable!
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